UC Football 2009 Season

[dabvu2498]

But that same mid-tier SEC team beat one of the Big East's top 3 teams earlier this season, thus, the benefit of the doubt.

[Boston Red]

Yeah, and UC would be undefeated in the SEC.

If they had played Alabama's or Florida's schedule (i.e. not had to play either of those teams yet), probably so.

[GAC]

Ok, I'm a UC fan, but this defense is horrible. They have given up 36 points to an Illinois team that is awful.

BINGO!

To me, the highlight of this game wasn't that Pike threw 6 Tds. Tony Pike is Tony Pike. Heck of a player (QB). So I'm not trying to take anything away from Pike; but the Illinois defense overall is downright terrible, so Pike should have had a field day (and did).

It's that the Bearcat's defense allowed the worst scoring offense in the Big 10 (and in the cellar nationally), as well as a QB (Juice) who isn't even a "blip" on the screen, as far as QBs go this year, to throw for 282 yds (307 total), 3 TDs, and allowed an awful Illinois team to actually put up more total yards (476 to 420).

But here is what concerns me about the Bearcats....

Illinois' rushing defense - again terrible - held the Bearcats to -6 yds rushing at halftime, and 22 yards total for the game.

[redsmetz]

Funny thing. We're up in Chicago for Thanksgiving and yesterday we walked over to Wrigley from our daughter's apartment. Heading down from the park looking for a place to have lunch and watch the UC/Illinois game, I said to my family that I wish I had worn my UC sweatshirt. Some folks were passing us and the guy hollers back, "I am!" and lifts his jacket to show his UC t-shirt. Later on we ran into one of my daughter's college roommates and told them that story and she said, "Oh I have mine too" and showed an old style Bearcat shirt. Too funny.

BTW, the place we ate had a shelf with the hats for each NL Central team and the order they finished. My oldest daughter noticed they had us and Houston backwards. I told the bartender if he wanted happy customers, he should switch it. He did. I told him I'd be back next year to make sure he had it right. Hopefully we'll have moved up.

[GIDP]

But that same mid-tier SEC team beat one of the Big East's top 3 teams earlier this season, thus, the benefit of the doubt.

LSU beat Auburn by 21 where Alabama only beat em by 5. Then LSU lost to Miss State by 3 but Alabama beat em by 28.

See how silly comparing wins and losses is?

[GAC]

And the Alabama-Auburn and Pitt-WVU games were some good football to watch IMO.

WV has been erratic this year, but still as good ball club. They gave the Bearcats a game of it, so I don't know if much should be made of Pitt's loss yesterday. Next week's game is at Pitt, who can still earn the conference's Bowl Championship Series berth with a win over the Bearcats.

Last year, and since joining the BE in '05, the Bearcats finally got over the hump in their head-to-head match ups with Pitt winning 28-21 at Nippert Field.

I still see the Bearcats winning next week, but it should be a good game IMO.

[dabvu2498]

LSU beat Auburn by 21 where Alabama only beat em by 5. Then LSU lost to Miss State by 3 but Alabama beat em by 28. See how silly comparing wins and losses is?

Yes. Now stop comparing UC's close wins to other teams' close wins. Thank you. Btw, LSU didn't lose to Miss St.

[will5979]

And the Alabama-Auburn and Pitt-WVU games were some good football to watch IMO.

WV has been erratic this year, but still as good ball club. They gave the Bearcats a game of it, so I don't know if much should be made of Pitt's loss yesterday. Next week's game is at Pitt, who can still earn the conference's Bowl Championship Series berth with a win over the Bearcats.

Last year, and since joining the BE in '05, the Bearcats finally got over the hump in their head-to-head match ups with Pitt winning 28-21 at Nippert Field.

I still see the Bearcats winning next week, but it should be a good game IMO.

It was fun beating Pitt last night, I was there! Destroy those bums.

[Revering4Blue]

If they had played Alabama's or Florida's schedule (i.e. not had to play either of those teams yet), probably so.

Exactly.

Ok, I'm a UC fan, but this defense is horrible. They have given up 36 points to an Illinois team that is awful

Or we can look at this way--The Illini offense finally lived up to their potential. This is what most fans/pundits expected from them all season. Keep in mind that this was OC Mike Schultz's first year, following a successful stint at TCU. Some elements of the much more conservative TCU offense, such as drop-back passing and the I-formation in non-short yardage situations, were implemented early with disastrous results. Juice's injuries didn't help either.

I do agree with the prevailing opinion that for the Bearcats to beat a team like Texas, they'll have to outscore them. Not an easy proposition.

[jimbo]

It's underrated because, as a concept, it's dead with the way modern football games are officiated. It's hard to hold any passing offense in check, absent a gigantic talent gap.

Thus, if you want to compete, you'd better be scoring points too.

I don't think clock control is dead at all. I'm not talking about using strictly a running game, I just think that championship teams typically have a good balance on offense between running and passing. If you rely strictly on passing, you may put up big numbers but you will always remain susceptible to allowing opponents to remain in the game.

The most effective way of holding a passing offense in check is to control the clock and keep the ball out of their hands.

[Caveat Emperor]

1,000 post, onward to part 2.